


Sweet Dreams

by Zel (Profmarshmallow)



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Crime Procedural, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, Lust at First Sight, Slow Burn, UST
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:22:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29940285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Profmarshmallow/pseuds/Zel
Summary: Forensic braindance technician Judy Alvarez will have her skills and her sanity put to the test whilst on the trail of a sadistic serial killer. To make matters worse, the arrogant detective she's working with has a tendency to get under her skin in more ways than one.
Relationships: Judy Alvarez/Female V
Comments: 18
Kudos: 96
Collections: Lizzie's Bar





	1. Chapter 1

* * *

The young woman’s feeble sobs echoed off the stained tiled walls. The only other sounds were the drone of the AC unit and the faint flickering hum of fluorescent lights. For the umpteenth time she strained weakly against the ropes that bound her wrists to the steel bed frame, but it was no use. This was the third day, and her strength was waning. The coarse bindings were rusty with the evidence of her futile struggle. Eventually she flopped back on the thin mattress. She’d screamed herself hoarse days ago and her throat was too dry for anything beyond a groan. Even the sudden clang of the metal door as it swung open could only provoke the smallest of flinches. _He_ was back again.

She had never seen his face. He always wore dark glasses and a surgical mask. A tight knot formed in her stomach as he loomed over her bed. Lifting his hand almost tenderly, he brushed some stray hair from her forehead. She was aware of a slight tugging, as his latex covered fingers stuck to the limp strands. The knot in her stomach spread its tendrils to her chest as he raised his other hand towards her face. She opened her mouth in a final effort to plead for her life, but he pressed a gentle forefinger to her lips.

“Shhhhh.” He whispered. “Time to go to sleep.”

With the uncanny speed of a striking snake his hand clamped over her nose and mouth. Her prone body struggled convulsively, back arching off the mattress, as she attempted to dislodge his suffocating grip. She could feel her ribcage moving frantically up and down as her lungs desperately tried to draw in air that just wasn’t there. Her panicked inner monologue was barely audible over the blood that roared in her ears. It wouldn’t be long now; she was already lightheaded and black spots were forming in her vision…

“Jesus, Fuck!”

There was a faint digital chirp as the image froze and Judy Alvarez plucked the brain dance wreath from her head.

She slumped back in her chair and took several deep, life-affirming breaths. That had been a bad one! She’d seen something though, a mark on the guy’s forearm. Maybe a tattoo. Once she slipped into editing mode, she could isolate the visual layer and clean up the image. Might be enough to finally nail this sick fuck. Needed a few minutes first though. Even to Judy’s experienced eye, reliving that woman’s final moments had been way too intense for 10am on a Tuesday morning. The nausea and shakes of the initial adrenalin rush had left her, but her wrists still felt raw and her throat was distinctly parched. Sensory hangovers were the worst.

Judy cast an eye around her workroom, attempting to ground herself in the familiar surroundings. Multiple scrolling monitors cast a soft blue glow on the dark walls. Her desk was a chaotic mass of shards and assorted mechanical innards. Yes, everything was here, even her half-finished can of soda from earlier.

She closed her eyes and put her feet up on the desk, before tuning her audio implant to Vexelstrom. A few minutes of angry rock should bend her synapses back into shape.

“Sleeping on the job Alvarez?!”

The shock of the barking voice suddenly cutting across the music track went through Judy like a punch to the chest. She came back to awareness with a violent flinch that covered the mess on her desk in a gurgling torrent of Spunky Monkey.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!”

She scrambled wildly, trying to save her precious shards from the foaming green liquid. Whoever this was, she was going to rip them several interesting new orifices.

“Alright asshole! You just made a seri…”

Her words faltered when she looked up and saw the broad, good-natured features grinning down at her. She immediately jumped up, her own face relaxing into a smile.

“Barry?! What the hell? You never told me you were comin’ back today.”

“Wanted to surprise ya.”

She raised an eyebrow at the sticky mess on her desk.

“Uh huh. Mission accomplished.”

Barry rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Sorry ‘bout that. You looked so peaceful when I came in, I…I couldn’t resist.”

Judy rolled her eyes and gave him a gentle punch on the arm.

“You’re a gonk.”

She reached up and pulled him into a hug, her slender arms failing to encircle his muscular frame.

“Good to see you back in uniform Barry. We missed you around here.”

“Just part time at first. Baby steps, ya know.”

Judy grimaced sympathetically. His strained smile clearly told her he was still fragile. Who could blame the poor guy? That boy had been, what, 19? . Of course, what had really broken Barry had been the corpo cover-up. Watching a tweaked-out Maelstrom psycho paint the pavement with a kid’s brains, only to watch him walk away scot-free would be enough to rattle anyone’s cage. Barry’s attempt at a dismissive snort brought her out of her reverie.

“Eh! Hasn’t been all bad. Been lonely since Andrew passed. Actually, prompted me to get out there a bit more – which reminds me.”

He leaned his elbows on the desk, and a furtive grin crept slowly over his face.

“This isn’t entirely a social call.”

Judy quirked an eyebrow.

“Colour me intrigued. Whaddaya want?”

“Well. Ya know Lizzie’s?”

“Sure. Tune some virtus for Susie from time to time.”

Barry sniggered and his voice took on a dramatic tone.

“Judy Alvarez: forensic technician by day, smut-peddler by night!”

Judy gave an unabashed shrug.

“Seems like that just means I’m keepin’ the pervs off the street 24/7.”

It was the standard answer she gave when anyone chose to remark on this apparent inconsistency in her life; she used to believe it too. It had always seemed like a no-brainer. Lonely, desperate guys flogging it to a virtu in one of the booths at Lizzies were harmless. Fewer frustrated creeps bottling up their urges meant less work in her day job.

It didn’t work that way though.

There were always people looking for something harder and more extreme and Night City was only too eager to satisfy their cravings. In dingy underpasses and sordid back alleys there was a roaring trade in XBDS. It was disturbingly easy to find a seedy rat in a trench coat who would sell you snuff for less than the price of a hot meal. The sad fact was that the underground studios were popping up faster than the NCPD could stamp them out. Those who were even motivated to try that is.

“Alright there Alvarez?”

Barry’s concerned voice shook Judy out of her gloom. She shoved her hands in the pockets of her overalls, realising belatedly that she had been massaging her wrist.

“I’m fine. Just tired. You were talkin’ about Lizzie’s?”

Barry blushed.

“Yeah. Last Friday, I uh… sorta met a girl there. Asked her out actually.”

Judy grinned.

“Nice going Barry. Bout time someone realised what a preem catch you are!”

She meant it too. Between the muscles, the tattoos and the buzz cut, Barry looked like a guy who could cheerfully rip your head off. The reality was it would be harder to find a sweeter, gentler guy in all of Night City.

Barry flushed an even deeper shade of crimson and tried to wave her words away with a flap of his hand.

“So anyway, the date’s tonight and I was wondering if you could hook me up with a virtu. Somethin’ to set the mood a little.”

Judy nodded.

“Sure. You want the feels, right? Hearts, flowers, moonlight…”

“Well, actually, that might not cut it with this one.”

Barry suddenly became intensely interested in examining his fingernails. Judy watched him with a confused frown.

“Who is this girl? Do I know her?”

It would be interesting to meet the woman Barry considered an adequate replacement for his beloved tortoise.

“You know that bouncer, with the purple hair and the lilac bat?”

“Rita? Seriously?! How did that happen?”

Judy mostly knew Rita by reputation. The word terrifying didn’t do her justice. Barry’s smile turned misty.

“I guess one thig lead to another after she punched me in the face.”

Judy blinked.

“Think you’re gonna have to wind that story back a few frames Barry.”

“Ugh - ok well I was passing Lizzie’s late last Friday, and I might have been a little drunk…ok, a lot drunk. Anyway, I don’t remember the specifics, but I got into a bit of an altercation with this bouncer, and I managed to put my foot right in it.”

“Meaning?”

“I said her bat looked like a cut-price dildo. Next thing I know, I’m flat out on the pavement. Seriously, I’ve known prize fighters who’d kill for a right hook like that.”

It seemed to Judy that running with the flow of the story was the only way to go at this point.

“So, what happened next?”

Barry gave a one shouldered shrug.

“I did the only thing I could. I asked if she wanted to go out with me sometime. I half-expected her to knock me out cold, but instead, she gave me her holo- number.”

Judy chuckled and shook her head.

“Alright, just be careful. Make sure you don’t end up as her bat’s new boyfriend.”

His throat bobbed convulsively and his whole body seemed to clench slightly.

“I’ll be fine. We’re going to a noodle stand in Kabuki market, then I’m takin’ her back to my place. I was hoping you could give me something… active, to get us in the mood.”

“For active, read violent?”

His head gave a sheepish jerk of assent.

“Alright, active it is. But you owe me one.”

“Thanks Judy. You’re the best.”

“I know.”

He paused in the act of turning to leave, as if suddenly recollecting something.

“Hey! I could start paying that debt right now.”

By this point Judy had turned back to the mess on her desk.

“Oh? You gonna buy me another soda?”

“Better. Gonna give you a heads up.”

“What do you mean?”

“Word around the bull pen is that you’ll be getting a royal visit later.”

Judy put down the armful of equipment she was holding and turned to him with her hands on her hips.

“What exactly are you talking about?”

“I mean, her majesty will be gracing you with her presence sometime this afternoon. You know who I mean. That new detective fresh from six months undercover. Busted some crummy Valentino heist, now thinks she’s the second coming of Johnny Silverhand.”

Judy did know who he meant. She hadn’t met her, but she’d heard about her. Mostly she’d heard the support staff and the uniforms complain about her. A bad attitude and an ego the size of Arasaka Tower. This did not bode well.

“What does she want with me?”

He held up his hands defensively.

“All I know is, she just got assigned a new case. Requested your services personally.”

Judy’s sense of foreboding increased. She may have been employed by the NCPD, but she wasn’t a ranked officer. It was comforting to think of herself as outside the hierarchy and the vicious melee of office politics that came with it. She definitely didn’t like the idea of some arrogant, obnoxious detective making her their bitch.

She tried to put the impending visit out of her mind for the rest of the morning. The mark on the killer’s forearm turned out to be nothing more exciting than a smudged club stamp, but she did manage to isolate some interesting sounds from the audio layer. If she could enhance them, it might give some idea of where this asshole was holding his victims.

By lunchtime she’d almost completely forgotten Barry’s warning. In consequence, when she came back to her work room after her usual trip to the scop-dog stand, she was not expecting to find her tuning chair already occupied.

_Fuck._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> V recruits Judy to work on a new case and its hate at first sight

Sweet Dreams

Chapter 2

“Hi Judy!”

Few things were more inclined to get Judy’s hackles up than returning to her workroom to discover a complete stranger lounging in her tuning chair. As if this wasn’t enough, said stranger was _fiddling_ with her BD wreath, spinning it ‘round and letting it dangle from a fingertip.

The woman was – there was no other words for it – infuriatingly stunning. Her side cut was styled to conceal half of her face behind a curtain of red and black hair, but Judy could still make out the delicate contour of a high cheekbone and one startingly blue eye. She flashed Judy an insolent grin, revealing even white teeth.

“Don’t believe we’ve met.”

Judy’s reply was brimming with suppressed irritation. Her eyes were fixed on her wreath, still loosely dangling from a slender finger. The woman rested her chin on one hand and gazed at Judy intently. Her eye flashed with that distinctive shade of Kiroshi turquoise.

“Judy Alvarez. Born March 13th, 2048. Mother deceased, father unknown. Lived with grandparents in Laguna Bend until the town was flooded in 2062. Served two years in Juvenile detention for grand-theft fire truck – kudos by the way! Tangentially associated but never officially affiliated with the Mox. Worked at Clouds before joining the NCPD. Widely regarded as one the best BD techs this fine city has to offer. How am I doin’ so far?”

“Congratulations.” Judy deadpanned.” You’ve accessed my personnel file. Course if you’d paid attention to the footnotes, you’d know I never stole that stupid truck. Got anymore tricks up your sleeve…detective?”

“V.”

“What?”

“Call me V. Everyone does.”

“V. That, like, stand for somethin’, or were your folks just real lazy?”

“Uh, uh, uh.”

V waggled an admonitory finger.

“You want a peek at my unmentionables, you should at least buy me dinner first.”

Judy rolled her eyes.

“Fine, V it is. Now, whaddya want?”

V placed Judy’s wreath on the desk and leaned back in the chair with her hands clasped behind her head.

“Got a new case. You’re gonna help me. Unless catching criminals doesn’t interest you anymore. Perhaps you’re too busy tweaking smut reels for the Mox.”

Every word out of this woman’s mouth felt like a subtle invitation to a duel and Judy was damned if she was going to blink first. She ignored the verbal jab and perched on the edge of the desk.

“New case. Gimme the deets.”

“Missing person.”

Judy’s eyebrows shot up. This was not what she had expected to hear. People disappeared in NC every day. The city was a dark morass of seething humanity. People suffered, struggled, and tore at one another in their desperate attempt to survive. Most didn’t even make a ripple when they sank beneath the surface. If the NCPD was exerting itself to find someone, that person either had a lot of influence, or a lot of money. Probably just some bored rich kid who’d decided to ditch the trust fund and spend an instructive gap year as a gangoon.

Judy shook her head and let out a low whistle.

“From deep cover with the Valentinos to chasing, what? Some corpo’s runaway brat? Seems like a step down to me. Sorta begs the question, how’d you fuck up?”

The detective’s features hardened for a second, the wry smirk evaporating. Judy had to give her credit though, recovery was almost instant.

“Wow. Wrong on all almost all counts Alvarez. That’s impressive. Guess that’s what the subterranean lifestyle will do for you. Leaves you kinda, out of _touch.”_

She punctuated her sentence by stretching out a foot and poking Judy in the thigh with the pointed toe of an elegant pump. The movement caused her pant leg to ride up, revealing a shapely ankle and the briefest glimpse of toned calf. Judy swallowed and averted her gaze. Her uninvited guest was officially testing the limits of her patience. Pushing herself off from the desk she turned to face V head on.

“If I’m so out of touch, seems like it’d be gonk of you to waste your time with this conversation. So why don’t you tell me why you’re really here or get the fuck out of my chair!”

V chuckled softly. The sound raised prickles of irritation on the back of Judy’s neck.

“Kitty’s got claws!” she purred. “This might actually be interesting.”

Judy narrowed her eyes and placed her hands on her hips.

“Don’t push me.”

Her voice was soft, but the warning was there. V gave her another long, appraising look, before reverting to a more professional tone.

“Looking for a doll. Went missing from Clouds a week ago. Name’s Evelyn Parker. You know ‘er?”

Judy shrugged.

“By sight.”

The detective sighed and began idly rolling a titanium pin back and forth along the surface of the desk.

“That’s disappointing. Still, you know Clouds. Probably know the right people to talk to and you spent enough time tinkering with their systems to get me in the back door. Don’t want to do more leg work than I have to on this one. No time or patience for too many one on ones with strung out sex-bots.”

Judy’s jaw clenched as her temper spiked once more.

“And if I refuse?”

This should have been a dream case for her. The idea of the NCPD giving a flying fuck about the sex workers in Night City was nothing short of miraculous, but still. She wasn’t sure how much more of this obnoxious bitch she could stomach.

V had apparently been expecting something like this. She grinned like a Cheshire cat, pulled out a data shard and tossed it to Judy.

“The powers that be have signed off on this Alvarez.” She raised a suggestive eyebrow and her voice dropped to a husky drawl. “You’re mine until further notice.”

Judy caught the shard, dread causing something in the pit of her stomach to flip. She knew without looking what would be on it. Yup there it was, official stamps and all necessary signatures.

_Fuck_

She bristled at the feeling that she’d been backed into a corner. When she left the group home, she swore she would never let herself be prey again and yet, here she was. Feeling like something small and possibly even fluffy. Still, she’d be lying if she said the case didn’t interest her. The NCPD didn’t interest itself in the welfare of dolls, particularly not the ones from establishments run by the Tyger Claws. It was more trouble than it was worth. To even open this case V had to’ve pulled some serious strings. What was she up to? She squared her shoulders and gave voice to her thoughts.

“This still doesn’t seem like something you’d be interested in.”

V abandoned the pin and gave a brief nod of approval.

“Not bad Jude. We’ll make a detective of you yet. Evelyn Parker happens to be Yorinobu Arasaka’s favourite fuck toy; that makes her interesting. The fact that he seems to actively prefer her company when she’s conscious, makes her more interesting still. Lotta dolls in Night City. It’s a big coincidence that this should be the one to vanish.” She picked up the pin again and began tossing it from hand to hand. “And I don’t believe in coincidences. I want to crack the top on this crock of shit, find out how deep it goes. I do that and I’m headed straight to the top. If you’re a good girl, I might bring you along for the ride.”

For a second Judy had harboured hopes that V might have been motivated by simple human compassion. She should have known by now that this was too much to expect from NC. She gave the detective a withering stare, her voice dripping scorn.

“So what? You bust open some big conspiracy and, poof! You’re headed for the major leagues?”

“What did you just say?”

Judy blinked in surprise. The colour had suddenly drained from V’s face. Her lips pressed into a thin line and the muscles in her neck went taut.

“Hey, are you…?”

“I’m fine!”

Judy recoiled. The harsh snarl contrasted so sharply with the detective’s usual languid purr. V stood up and inhaled deeply, seeming to compose herself. She still looked pale, but her voice had returned to normal. Now that she was standing, Judy found that she barely came up to the detective’s chest. She suppressed a shiver as glacial blue eyes stared down at her.

“Gotta go. Any little projects you have, consider them on hold. Need you available when I call,”

Without another word, she brushed past Judy and swept imperiously from the basement.

* * *

As V vigorously splashed water onto her face, she thanked whatever Gods might have been listening that the bathroom was empty. She’d barely made it to the cubicle in time. It was happening more often now. Fucking bullshit! The worst part was, that little techie had noticed something.

V turned off the tap and stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her ghostly pallor made the smattering of freckles on her nose stand out more starkly than usual and her black eyeliner had run. With a single vicious tug, she grabbed a wad of paper towels from the dispenser by the sink and set about repairing the damage. That was not how she’d wanted their first encounter to end. Judy could be the wrench that cracked this case wide open, but V liked her tools to know their place. She remembered Essig’s warning that she might have some trouble getting Alvarez to toe the line. V had laughed at him. She’d spent six months in Heywood on the front line of a fucking gang war, she wasn’t about to intimidated by some basement dwelling nerdling.

It had begun so well too. The look on her face when she’d come back to find V in her precious chair had been a fucking picture. She was kind of cute when she was mad. If V was being honest, she was kind of cute anyway. She refused to believe there wasn’t some sort of law against that ass. Had a mouth on her though. Somebody ought to remind her who was boss. A vivid image suddenly flashed across V’s mind Pinning a squirming Judy over her knee with those stupid overalls around her ankles. V could almost feel the dull stinging of her palm as she mercilessly spanked those toned, tan buttocks until the techie cried out in…pain?

_Shit! Where did that come from?_

She blinked and shook her head slightly, turning to toss the used paper towels in the trash.

_Gotta get your head back in the game Val!_

Turning to the mirror for a final inspection, V couldn’t help but notice the faint flush that risen on her pale cheeks.

As she exited the bathroom, she heard an eager male voice calling her name.

“V! Hey wait up!

She grimaced under the force of a sudden twinge of guilt.

“Hey River. Look, I know we were supposed to grab coffee this morning, I just…”

“V. It’s fine.”

He raised a hand to cut her off. His dark, handsome face held a long-suffering smile.

“Been your partner a long time. Pretty used to you standing me up by now.”

She quirked an eyebrow at him.

“That supposed to make me feel better?”

“You could make it up to me. Late lunch at Buffalo’s, my treat. I _know_ you’re off right now.”

River poked her playfully in the chest. She rolled her eyes.

“Fiiine. Can’t see a faster way of shutting you up.”

* * *

Although the lunch hour was waning, Chubby Buffalo’s BBQ was still reasonably crowded. Located in an obscure and insalubrious corner of Heywood, those in the know considered it to be one of NC’s best kept secrets. Buffalo’s was an homage to the classic American diners of old. Sitting amongst the synth-leather booths and formica tables felt a little like stepping through a portal into a hazy, nostalgic daydream, marinading in the scent of grease and onions.

As they sat waiting for their food, River tilted his head to one side, staring at his partner’s obstinate profile. V refused to look at him, her gaze was riveted on some unspecified point beyond the slatted window blinds. She knew what was coming, she could read it in his face. She always wondered how he managed to express so much, with just one organic eye. What was worse, was the recent, uncomfortable feeling that his eyes were asking for something she could never give back, something that made her want to turn and flee.

“You gonna keep making me guess?”

“Guess what?”

_Here it comes._

“What the hell’s going on with you lately”.

V shifted irritably in her seat.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He huffed impatiently and reached upwards, closing the blinds with a snap.

“You can’t hide from me. Ever since you came back from that Valentino job, you’ve been…different.”

V folded her arms across her stomach and continued to stare stubbornly at the closed blinds.

“No one else has said anything. Maybe you’re imagining things.”

“Or maybe no one knows you like I do.”

He reached across to table and tried to take hold of her wrist. She didn’t miss the look of hurt that flickered briefly across his face when she jerked it out of his grasp. Leaning back in the booth, he sighed and threw up his hands.

“See. This is what I’m talkin’ about. You’re freezin me out V. Don’t seem right after everything we’ve…”

His diatribe paused abruptly when a waitress in a pink smock placed two cups of Matapang between them. V breathed an internal sigh of relief. It wasn’t that she was trying to shut River out, but why could he never let anything go? Over the years they’d worked together he’d become like a brother to her; lately, he felt like one of the many things pressing down on her, choking the air from her lungs. For now, the interruption seemed to have taken the wind out of his sails and the conversation drifted into work territory.

“Heard you got Essig to sign off on the Parker case. How’d you swing that?”

“He trusts my judgement. Told him I thought there was more to this thing.”

“Mhmm. He even gave you Alvarez. No one expected that.”

As soon as the technician’s name was mentioned, V’s shoulders relaxed, and she smirked into her coffee.

“You never even told me why you wanted her so badly. Or is that a secret too?”

She shrugged and took a prolonged sip.

“Girl knows Clouds. Simple as that. Besides…” she paused and locked eyes with him over the rim of her cup, waggling her eyebrows impishly “…everyone knows, if you’re going to save the world, it pays to have an adorable sidekick in tow.”

Now it was River’s turn to scowl at the window.

“Don’t underestimate her V. I’ve heard things.”

“Oh?” she placed her chin on her hand and leaned in closer. “Do tell.”

“Like maybe those tattoos ain’t for show.”

V snorted with laughter.

“She’s a poser, who tunes the occasional spank-reel for the Mox. What’s she going to do? Pelt me with smut ‘til I beg for mercy?”

“I dunno, it’s just... Alvarez probably isn’t some toy you can pick up and bat around until you get bored. She knows her stuff too. Writes a bunch of articles for those BD journals.”

“Fine” V folded her hands on the table and addressed him with mock solemnity. “I’ll watch my step. Just so you don’t start worrying about me showing up in some shipping container, brutally strangled with a BD wreath.”

“I mean it V. People don’t like being strung along.”

He gave her a meaningful look. The sudden intensity made V bristle and the amusement dropped from her voice.

“You sure we’re still talking about Alvarez River?”

Jesus! There it was again. That wounded puppy face. She stood abruptly and began rummaging in her bag.

“Hey. What the fuck? We got food comin.”

He sounded genuinely annoyed now, but V didn’t care, she just wanted to get out of there.

“Just remembered I got somewhere to be.”

Dropping a small pile of Eddies on the table, she stalked out of the diner. The late afternoon traffic was fairly light, allowing her to gun it. She was most of the way back to Watson before her boiling anger had cooled. Fuck him! Why did he always have to do this?!

She parked in front of her Mega Building and leaned back in the seat, closing her eyes. She pictured herself walking to her apartment, through the grimy, neon-soaked network of ratty little stalls and vending machines. The screeching clang of the elevator, the swish of the green front door as it drew back. All the way home she had thought of nothing but reaching the seclusion of her little hole in the wall, maybe cracking the seal on a fresh bottle of tequila. For some reason, the idea felt less appealing now. What would she do? Stare at the same four walls she always did and get further down the bottle than she should. She had a sudden mental image of the apartment walls closing in on her, feeling the oncoming rush of an enveloping, claustrophobic blackness. She gripped the steering wheel and forced herself to breath in and out slowly.

Nope it would not do. There were definitely more entertaining things she could be doing with her evening. She took out her holophone and scanned the list of contacts. A slow smile spread over her face as her eyes rested on a new name.

* * *

Judy was seriously pissed. It had taken her forty-five minutes to recalibrate the ergonomic settings on her tuning chair. Even now something felt off about it. There was no other explanation for pitiful amount of work she’d managed to get done that afternoon. She shifted uncomfortably, unable to relax. It was like that complacent sneering detective was still looming over her shoulder. The thought sent a network of strange prickles trickling down the back of her neck. She shook her head slightly as though trying to dislodge an irritating fly. At least she’d found something in her archives to give to Barry. Raising her hands above her head, she stretched. She closed her eyes with a small sigh of contentment as she felt the tense muscles in her shoulders crackle and pop.

_What the fuck?_

Her eyes flew open at the sudden buzz from her holophone. Someone was messaging her. Her heart sank when she saw the caller ID. What the fuck did that bitch want now?

_V: Hey Judy. Miss me?_

_J: Not really. What do u want?_

_V: I’m not sure that’s how u should be addressing a superior officer._

_J: I’m not a badge. I don’t answer to you, detective._

_V: Really? I have signed orders that say otherwise._

_J: Fuck off. I’m workin._

Judy slammed her phone down on the desk and stared unseeing at her monitors. A few seconds later her phone buzzed again, she experienced a brief, internal struggle before grabbing for it.

_V: Now, now. If u don’t drop the tude, I won’t bring u along._

_J: Bring me along where?_

_V: We’re taking a little field trip._

Judy frowned.

_J: …field work isn’t really my thing_

_V: It is now. There’s a whole world outside the basement. Wild Blue Hotel, 1900. Wear something nice_

_J: …_

_V: Shouldn’t be afraid to ditch the overalls Judy. Bet you scrub up real nice when you try. 1900. Be there._

Judy’s grip on her phone tightened until the metal left grooves in her palm, she could feel her irritation rapidly escalating to anger. Who did that bitch think she was?

_“When you try?”_

She’d show her. Judy flicked through her contacts and began rapidly typing a message.

_J: Roxy. Got a minute? Need a favour._


End file.
